


Throw

by osunism



Series: Lightning In A Bottle [9]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-26
Updated: 2015-01-26
Packaged: 2018-03-09 04:51:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3236921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/osunism/pseuds/osunism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hadiza Trevelyan knew how to fight, but there was one skill that somehow went overlooked in her training repertoire. Cullen is delighted to give her lesson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Throw

He’d only recently learned that Hadiza knew her way around a sword, courtesy of an unexpected bout with her sister, and while his mind fair reeled at the dangerous implications of a mage that once sought the path knighthood, he could not deny that it was indeed…exciting to think about, if nothing else.

He and Hadiza had grown closer in their relationship over the months, and it was only after they secured an alliance with Orlais in Halamshiral that he became aware of how close they had become.

He trained with his men, and often he  _felt_ her long before he made an effort to see her. She stood in the shade of one of the stalls while his men trained. It was hard to miss her, and Cullen was for once glad Leliana and Josephine were not near lest they torment him with endless jokes about how besotted he was with the Inquisitor.

Sparring with his men was a simple matter, of course, and he could afford to steal glances at her while she watched him. Sparring with Aja, however, made it impossible. The woman had not lied when she said she was good for it, and Cullen had to admit he’d not been this hard-pressed in a bout in such a long time. As they were both sword and shield warriors, it made it that much more challenging. Aja was immensely skilled, and unlike her sister, who had been forced to walk the path of the Circle, her edge had only been honed during her time as a mercenary and pirate. She was able to make quick changes to her strategy on the fly, and her footwork was a dancer’s envy.

In Aja, Cullen found a challenge worth sparring with, and his own skill only grew.

Other days, he practiced on his own, keeping a training dummy in his office where he practiced idle dagger throwing. It was a skill he prided himself on. All Templars trained for such things, but Cullen in his devotion had worked to master it after he left Kinloch Hold. In that time, he had foolishly sworn never to be caught unawares again. It had been one of the few things he allowed himself to work at with aggression during his duties. When he left the Order, it had become something of a balm.

"You’re pretty handy with a dagger," Hadiza said idly, leaning against the doorframe as Cullen tossed another. There was raw power behind his throws, and Hadiza received a chilly reminder that this man with whom she was falling in love had once trained to kill mages. It had been a stumbling block for both of them, and it was the one thing they could never agree on, truly. The steel of the dagger bit deep into the head of the stuffed dummy, where the eyes would be, the blade going halfway in and sticking without so much as a waver.

Cullen laughed, turning to face her. In her everyday wear, Hadiza cut a fine, lithe figure, and why not? Josephine had seen to it a tailor from Orlais outfitted Hadiza in the finest clothes outside of her battlemage armor. He studied her with an appraising eye. Seeing the invitation she stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

"All Templars are trained in the art. It was admittedly one of my favorites." He rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. Hadiza smirked, mischief in her eyes.

"Better than watching a candle burn down while reciting the Chant?" She asked teasingly. Cullen laughed.

"Worlds better, I hate to admit. Did your father teach you? You mentioned he had you and your sister train as fighters. What did that entail?" Hadiza bit her lip, running her fingers through her hair, which only fell back into place, sweeping over one of her eyes.

"Ah, well…it was complicated. I was around six when we began training with wooden swords and shields. I never could get the hang of the shield part, but my sister…ah, well, you’ve fought her." Unconsciously, Cullen rubbed the forearm of his shield-arm. Yes, Aja packed something of a punch. He’d been sore for days. But he’d managed to push her as well.

"So," Hadiza continued, making her way to his desk and settling on the edge, "As the years went by, we had different teachers. Sword and shield, staff fighting, and I swear Old Ricardo was an Antivan Crow. He never confirmed it when we asked, but he didn’t deny it either. That’s where I learned to dual-wield. But dagger throwing isn’t something I learned…I think my sister picked it up after I was…" She waved her hand dismissively. Cullen knew. They’d spoken of it after Aja’s arrival. He still remembered the hollowness of her voice when she’d told him how her parents had given her to the Circle after she’d taken a fall from a wall trying to escape that very fate.

"If you would like," Cullen didn’t let the idea simmer in his head before he was voicing it, "…I could teach you." Hadiza’s face brightened.

"You sure, Commander? I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at me since Aja got here. A mage who knows how to fight with more than magic. You sure you want to make me even more dangerous."

Cullen said nothing and merely crossed his arms. For a while the two of them stared at one another. In the end, however, the Commander won out as Hadiza cracked a smile.

"Aye, Commander," She said laughing softly, "But be patient with me."

"Am I not always? Our proceedings in the War Room should have said as much." And then he smirked as Hadiza laughed. It was that laugh that turned his heart upside down and tugged it clear from his chest, throaty and unfettered. Hadiza took a throwing knife in hand, testing its weight. The Commander of the Inquisition was ever a stickler for organization and cleanliness—the knife gleamed the same color of her eyes, and she saw her reflecting in the tapered blade.

Cullen came up behind her, hands on her shoulders.

"The trick isn’t to throw yourself, but to bring the energy through you into your throwing arm alone. You’re stronger on your right side, I’ve noticed." He murmured, and took the knife, adjusting it so that she held the blade end.

"The weight of it should do most of the work, but it’s just as important to perfect how you throw as well. Adjust your stance, here…" Hadiza watched him as he helped her plant her feet. She didn’t miss the way his fingertips ghosted along her shape as he came up.

"Now, before we get to the throwing, you’ll need to understand what your body will be doing during the process. May I?" He asked, his hands hovering near her waist. Hadiza lifted her arms, grinning.

"Cullen, how is it you can know all this but you’ve two left feet on the dance floor?" Hadiza asked him as his gripped her waist. Cullen smirked.

"It is one thing to know the steps of battle, as they have an end purpose. Dancing eludes me like nothing else…and is usually bound up in politics." He said. "Now, when you bring your arm here—a little higher—good. When you bring your arm for the throw, don’t throw your shoulder."

Hadiza watched his mouth, letting him maneuver her body, but he did it in such a way where she had to pay attention. He allowed her body to move naturally while guiding it through the movements.

"Like when you throw a punch," He explained, "You never throw from the shoulder. It should be like lightning…your energy and force should take the shortest path. Now, as you’re throwing, turn just so…" He was so close to her she could feel the heat from his body. Hadiza watched as he extended her arm but not entirely.

"Release the blade at this point. Too soon and you’ll aim too high. Too late and it will fly low. You want to release here to eliminate any other possibilities."

Hadiza liked him in this state. He took command so naturally, now, and it was not often to got to engage him in his element in such a surprisingly intimate fashion. She was so enthralled with the concentration in his gaze that she hadn’t noticed he’d released her.

"Inquisitor?" He queried. Hadiza blinked, relaxing her body.

"Oh. Sorry. I was…" He smiled at her and her cheeks grew hot. He didn’t know, but she didn’t have to explain.

"Now," He said softly, "We’ll try it, just once. Try to visualize the region you aim for…usually the chest or the head. As the chest region is larger, we’ll start there."

Hadiza smiled and prepared herself. Cullen circled around behind her, at a safe distance.

"Relax your stance. Don’t let the tension freeze you. Excellent. Now, as I showed you."

Hadiza spilled into the movement, and for a moment she felt like a young girl again, receiving combat tutelage from grizzled old veterans and brigands of all kinds. As the knife was freed from her grasp it spun, end over end, toward her target.

And missed.

It struck the stone wall a few feet to the right of the practice dummy, bouncing off and clattering to the floor in a loud rush. Hadiza bit her lip.

"Sorry!" She exclaimed stifling a laugh. Cullen laughed gently, moving to retrieve the knife as he turned to face her.

"It’s quite alright. I must say, it’s a little comforting to know that there’s at least one thing you aren’t perfect at."

Hadiza gasped. “Commander! Are you insinuating…?” Cullen came to her, giving her that tell tale smirk before replacing the throwing knifes in the velvet-lined case on his desk.

"Absolutely not, Inquisitor," He replied. "It’s just that…you’re practically good at everything else I’ve seen you do, it is nice to know that there is aught you could learn from me." Hadiza stuck out her tongue.

"I’ve learned so much from you already, Cullen. Don’t underestimate your influence."

Cullen smiled which Hadiza echoed.

"And so I won't." He agreed.


End file.
